An amplifier is any device or circuit capable of increasing the voltage, current and/or power of an applied input signal. Amplifiers are well-known devices that have been used in many different electrical and electronic environments for many years. Many amplifiers are described as “linear”, “exponential”, “logarithmic” or the like in accordance with the shape of their output vs. input characteristics. A “logarithmic” amplifier, for example, typically produces an output signal that increases logarithmically as the input signal is increased. This characteristic may be beneficial in many applications because small changes in input signal can produce relatively large effects upon the amplifier output. In a flat panel or other visual display, for example, it may be desirable for the brightness of the display to increase and/or decrease logarithmically as a control knob or other input is adjusted to reflect the sensitivity of the human eye.
Typically, logarithmic and anti-logarithmic amplifiers are designed to be based upon the electronic properties of a conventional P-N junction, which is generally implemented in doped silicon or other semi-conducting material. Semiconductors can be complicated and expensive to fabricate, however, particularly for specialized environments. As a result, it is desirable to create a logarithmic amplifier that can produce precise and accurate output over a range of environmental conditions but without the disadvantages inherent in amplifiers based upon the transfer characteristic of a P-N junction. It is also desirable to produce flat panel displays with improved logarithmic amplifier features.